A fire destroyed more than 50 shops at Khemnichak market in Patna’s Ramakrishna Nagar police station area after 3am on Thursday, causing heavy losses to traders and damaging several parked motorcycles. No casualties were reported, while the cause of the blaze remained under investigation.
The fire spread rapidly through the congested market, engulfing vegetable shops, repair outlets and other establishments. Eyewitnesses told the Times of India that the flames initially affected a few shops before moving to adjoining units, leaving traders little time to remove stock, equipment and personal belongings.
Four LPG cylinders kept at a makeshift hotel allegedly exploded during the fire, triggering panic in the market. The explosions were reported as the blaze intensified, although officials had not established the cause of the fire when the report was published.
Around 15 to 20 fire engines from Lodipur, Kankarbagh, Secretariat, Patna City and other locations were sent to the site. Firefighters brought the blaze under control after nearly an hour and prevented it from spreading to nearby residential buildings.
The incident affected a mix of commercial establishments, including vegetable shops, repair outlets and other businesses operating in the market. Several motorcycles parked in the area were also destroyed. The close packing of shops and the presence of combustible materials helped the flames spread quickly, according to the report.
The scale of the damage has left affected traders facing substantial losses from destroyed premises, equipment and stock. Officials were assessing the damage, while the businesses affected began counting the material and financial impact of the fire.
Sub-divisional fire officer Ajit Kumar said the cause of the fire was unknown and that an investigation was underway. The assessment of losses and the investigation into how the fire began were expected to determine the next official steps.
